'Something so rare and unique': 17-year-old girl graduates with doctoral degree

TEMPE, Ariz. (WKRC) - A 17-year-old graduated from a university with an enormous accomplishment -- earning a doctoral degree.

Dorothy Jean Tillman II told Good Morning Americashe was home-schooled before entering college at 10 years old. In 2020, she earned a Master of Science degree, and one year later she was accepted into the Doctorate of Behavioral Health Management program at Arizona State University -- all at 15 years old.

Tillman defended her dissertation at 17 and earned her doctoral degree in integrated behavior health from ASU's College of Health Solutions.

Tillman said she always held education in high regard due to her family's background.

"People in my life like my grandmother, who was part of the Civil Rights movement, she of course harped on the importance of education and consistently learning something always," Tillman said. "But the way I always held education so high on my own, aside from being raised that way, was finding different things to be educated about."

She continued, "I feel like that urge to learn something new just never didn't exist for me."

According to a clinical associate professor at ASU, Dr. Lesley Manson, Tillman is the youngest person in school history to earn a doctoral degree in integrated behavior health. Manson oversaw Tillman's dissertation for the doctoral program offered through ASU Online. Tillman managed to write a journal article on her dissertation and complete an internship at a student health center during her studies.

"She really led change and worked on different forms of management to really reduce healthcare stigma and improve that student population there to be able to enter and accept student health services," Manson said about Tillman. "It was wonderful to see her and help her navigate some of those personal and professional interactions and grow through those experiences."

Manson holds Tillman in high praise, calling her "inquisitive" and "innovative."

"It's a wonderful celebration... but this is still something so rare and unique," she said. "She has innovative ideas and motivation, which is wonderful, and truly, I think what is inspiring is that she embodied that meaning of being a true leader."

Tillman spoke on how her mother inspired and motivated her to follow through in her academic journey.

"Seeing my mother consistently work so hard to continuously uphold our family legacy, and be that person that everyone was able to go to, if they needed anything... always seeing [her] like [a] 'wonder woman' definitely made me want to grow up [into] an accomplished person," she said.

Tillman also founded a leadership institute that emphasizes the arts and STEM, and remains CEO.

"I feel like adding art and putting a focus on it throughout science, technology, engineering and math makes the kids excited to learn all those things," she said. "It opens them up to all of the possibilities and all the knowledge provided in that area of just STEM."

Tillman doesn't have her future entirely planned out, however, and said after graduation she's "just like any other teenager, still figuring out what my specific dreams and goals are."

"I'm really grateful that the world is my oyster, and that I've done so much so young," she said. "And I have time to kind of think that through."

Tillman stressed to young people that it's alright to continually figure out your place in the world.

"Remember that everyone has points in their life where they feel like they're figuring it out," she said. "Figuring things out, not knowing what you want isn't a bad thing. Making the choice not to sit down and try to figure it out is."

On May 6, Tillman walked at ASU's spring commencement.